“They do, don’t they?”
“When do you want to get married?”
“Well, for purposes of our visit to our son’s new school tomorrow, I think we should style ourselves Mr. and Mrs.”
“Good idea.”
“After we s
ee the school, we can run down to City Hall and pick up a license, then we can speak the vows at our leisure.”
“Listen, Stone, we have to be very careful, very private about this. I don’t want to see stories in the newspapers about us. That might make things difficult for Peter, if he has to start explaining his new name to people.”
“We’ll do it as secretly as possible, and let people find out as it comes up.”
“You’ll want Dino for best man, won’t you?”
“Yes. Whom do you want for maid of honor?”
“I don’t know; I’ll have to think about it. I don’t have a lot of girlfriends.”
“No rush.”
She stretched out in his arms again. “Arrington Carter-Barrington,” she said. “With a hyphen. Will you be Stone Carter-Barrington?”
“Ah, no.”
“Oh, all right.” She kissed him for a long time, then nature took its course.
19
S tone went down to the office for a few minutes before leaving for Knickerbocker Hall, and Joan buzzed him. “Seth
Keener on one,” she said.
Stone picked it up. “Good morning, Seth.”
“Morning, Stone. A couple of things: it seems the New York State legislature is going to pass a no-fault divorce law sometime soon. We have to decide whether to wait for that or go ahead with the present petition.”
“The present petition has been filed; let’s stick with it. It might even get resolved more quickly, because of the impending no-fault law; some cases might be withdrawn to wait for no-fault.”
“All right. The other thing: I’m hearing rumors that 60 Minutes is about to do an investigative piece on the island of Monoto.”
This was the Pacific enclave of the wealthy where Stephanie Fisher and her brother had run after looting the family firm. “What does that have to do with the divorce?”
“I’m not sure. It depends on how big an effect the program has.”
“I don’t think it matters what effect the show has. The petition is filed. If you know anybody who can rush it, that’s fine with me and, I’m sure, with my client.”
“Okay, I’ll get on it.”
“Does Stephanie know about 60 Minutes?”
“I don’t know.”
“If I were you, I’d wait for her to bring it up. No point in getting her upset now.”
“You have a point.” Keener hung up.